Gustavo Petro’s Administration Heralds a New Progressive Cycle in Latin America
Recently elected president Gustavo Petro's victory was a milestone not only for Colombia but for all of Latin America. With it, a new progressive wave has washed across the region.
Colombian president-elect Gustavo Petro vice president–elect Francia Márquez receive presidential credentials at the National Civil Registry in Bogotá, June 23, 2022. (Nathalia Angarita / Bloomberg via Getty Images)
Few news stories in 2022 were as uplifting as the progressive victory of Gustavo Petro in Colombia. The former guerrilla fighter defeated Rodolfo Hernández in the runoff election to become the first left-wing president in the country’s history, accompanied by one of the most prominent Afro-Colombian activists, Francia Márquez, as vice president.
To understand the historic magnitude of his victory, the current political situation in Colombia, and the challenges that await the incoming government, Jacobin’s Nicolas Allen spoke with philosopher Luciana Cadahia.
Cadahia’s experience has been typical of many leftists in Colombia. A longtime Petro supporter, her political views ended up putting her at odds with her former employer, the Pontifical Xavierian University and, ultimately, with the right-wing forces gathered around former Colombian president Álvaro Uribe.
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